How to get stuff done when you have a baby

In my experience, having a baby turns you into a multitasking machine. Feeding myself lunch with one hand while holding a breastfeeding infant in the other arm? Check. Watching my kindergartner's soccer game while keeping an eye on my 3-year-old and wrangling a baby by myself? Check. Pushing a grocery cart with one hand while balancing a baby on my hip? Check. Mama's gotta get stuff done!

As a been-there-done-that mom of three, here are my tips for being productive with a baby:

1. Wear your baby. I didn't truly discover the awesomeness of baby-wearing until my third child. But man, that would have been so helpful with my first two kiddos. With two hands free and my baby snuggled up to me and snoozing in a carrier, I was a productivity machine. I could type. I could clean. Heck, I could vacuum, do dishes, do the hokey pokey – and even breastfeed while waiting in the checkout line at the store.

2. Shop at Walmart. Navigating a shopping trip with a baby can be tricky, but I've learned that Walmart can make it easier – and cheaper, without skimping on quality. Walmart's Parent's Choice has been a go-to brand for my family. (Plus, Walmart has a wide selection of other brands, too.) Fragrance-free wipes – two huge boxes at a time, of course, because children – diaper rash cream, safety cotton swabs, baby wash, diapers, puffs and yogurt bites, and bottles are all Parent's Choice items we have loved over the years. Pro tip: To save time AND to avoid risking a mid-shopping-trip meltdown, order your groceries online. At participating locations, a busy parent can place a grocery order (including items like diapers, wipes, and baby food) and then simply pick it up curbside at the store, sans a meltdown in aisle four. Bam. Done.

3. Use nap time wisely. I don't know about you, but most of the time I could never "sleep when the baby sleeps" anyway. So I typically used this as an opportunity to catch up on household chores and work. However, if was feeling particularly exhausted/frazzled, I would recharge by sitting down, relaxing, and doing absolutely nothing.

4. Ask for help. This, by far, was the toughest lesson for me to learn as a new mom. I felt intense pressure to do all the things and provide everything for my baby, but sometimes it just wasn't possible. These days, I'm not sure how I would get anything done without my village. My mother-in-law picks up my first-grader from school twice a week and babysits on Saturdays sometimes, so I can get work done. My husband takes some or all of the kiddos so I can go to the store in peace every once in a while. (And vice versa.) Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness; it's knowing that you can accomplish more with an extra set of hands.

5.Take it easy on yourself. This was another one that was particularly tough for me as a new mother. Laundry was a big stressor for my husband and I; we would stress out if we weren't always on top of it, which is basically impossible. Over the years, though, I've learned the importance of prioritizing that monstrous to-do list. And if I don't get to everything? Meh, life goes on. It's a lot less stressful for me to plan on tackling one "big" thing each day and being satisfied with that, than freaking out because everything isn't just so. In short: Consider lowering the bar a little during those early years for the sake of your sanity.

6. Distraction is key. Especially when I'm out and about with my youngest, I make sure to bring along plenty of distractions. It's incredible the difference it can make, whether you're at a doctor's appointment, a shopping trip or running other errands. A couple of board books, a snack, a tablet, and an emergency sucker are a few things in my arsenal. And I'm not afraid to use them.

The bottom line: Getting stuff done when you have a baby is no easy feat. With a strategy and the help of some hard-won wisdom, though, it doesn't have to feel impossible. You've got this, new parents!

What tips do you have for getting things done with a baby on your hip?

Images by Michelle Stein, Walmart.com

This post is sponsored by Walmart. All opinions are truthful and my own.

Michelle Stein is a journalist who lives in the Midwest with her husband, three kids, and two obnoxious, but sweet kitties. This Millennial mom tries, fails and sometimes succeeds at this whole career/motherhood balancing act.

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